Categories

Meta

movie and actor lists and thoughts…Scroll for lists!

Maybe it’s because they have known us the longest, and so, therefore, can hurt us the deepest, that the family drama can be one of the most painful of genres. But if done wrong, it could also be one of the most cliched ones as well. So, it is with these thoughts that I give you “The Twenty Greatest Family Dramas”.

In no particular order…

1.”Rebel Without a Cause” (1955) Nicholas Ray. Despite some awkward dramatic moments, and of course, the passing of time, this popular film retains its power for its sensitive handling of its subject matter. This film was truly on the side of the kids.

2.”Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979) Robert Benton. Academy Award winning film about a custody battle was never one of my favorites, but there is no denying the skill of all the artists involved.

3.”Ordinary People” (1980) Robert Redford. Redford nabbed an Oscar for this penetrating look at the effects of tragedy on a seemingly normal American family.

4.”The Brood” (1974) David Cronenberg. Although technically a horror film, Cronenberg mines more truths than several obvious forays in the genre. He once called “The Brood” his “Kramer vs. Kramer”.

6.”A History Of Violence” (2005) David Cronenberg. This film takes a look at family secrets, and how we really don’t know the people we think we’re closest to.

7.”Long Days Journey into Night” (1962) Sidney Lumet. O’Neill would not allow this masterpiece to be produced while he was alive. And although this may not be the definitive version, it contains one truly brilliant performance by Jason Robards as the haunted Jamie, O’Neill’s tragic brother.

8.”HUD” (1963) Martin Ritt. Ritt received his only Oscar nomination for this family drama set in Texas and features some of the best dialogue in cinema.

9.”Shoot the Moon” (1982) Alan Parker. Family as a war zone? Albert Finney and Diane Keaton portray a couple going through a particularly savage separation which leaves no winners.

10.”Little Miss Sunshine” (2006) Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris. Although it’s considered to be more of a comedy, this deceptive little film shows us the true need for family.

11.”Terms of Endearment” (1983) James L. Brooks. This film does a fine balancing act between laughter and sorrow, avoiding cliches as it explores the complicated emotions that come from the mother and daughter dynamic.

12.”The Homecoming” (1973) Peter Hall. Pinter looks at the family as a rather dangerous institution.

13.”A Delicate Balance” (1973) Tony Richardson. Albee’s play takes a hard look at a retired couple trying to take the complications out of their lives, but are instead drawn into the hell that is other people.

14.”Crimes of the Heart” (1986) Bruce Beresford. This southern-fried charmer features some winning performances, and also some surprising poignancy in dealing with a family tragedy.

15.”Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1958) Richard Brooks. Despite throwing out all of William’s homosexual themes, and most of the poetry, this Hollywood version is still quite entertaining.

16.”A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951) Elia Kazan. This powerful film contains a very disturbing family triangle. It shows both the attraction and repulsion of desire.

17.”I Never Sang for My Father” (1970) Gilbert Gates. Hackman plays a son attempting to make a relationship with his dying father, played powerfully by the veteran actor Melvyn Douglas.

18.”East of Eden” (1955) Elia Kazan. John Steinbeck’s Cain and Abel tale features the mythical James Dean and a supporting cast that cannot be faulted.

19.”In America” (2002) Jim Sheridan. Sheridan’s autobiographical account of a family immigrating to America after dealing with the loss of a child. Ultimately a triumph of renewal.

20.”The Ice Storm” (1997) Ang Lee. This suburban saga shows us the confusion and anxiety that comes with the changing of times. Subtle and haunting.

Since this clown invaded our White House, women have been marching, running for office, and just plain giving me hope for the future of this broken country. I have been inspired to look back at cinema, and the positive role women have played in it. So, with these lofty thoughts, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Film Heroes (Female)”.

In no particular order…

1.Jane Fonda. “Julia” (1977) Fred Zimmerman. Unlikely heroes have always appealed to me, and none more than the subtle work done here by Ms. Fonda.

2.Sally Field. “Norma Rae” (1979) Martin Ritt. The moment she stands on the table with the union sign is among cinema’s strongest political statements.

3.Sandy Dennis. “Up the Down Staircase” (1967) Robert Mulligan. Though at times she appears perplexed, Dennis embodies the spirit of what’s best about teachers.

4.Meryl Streep. “Silkwood” (1983) Mike Nichols. The film is ambiguous due to the lawsuits of the time, but it doesn’t take away from the power and poignancy of Streep’s work.

6.Katherine Hepburn. “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (1967) Stanley Kramer. This legendary actress brought an unexpected verve to her middle-class character. The scene where she stands up to her bigoted neighbor is quite memorable.

7.Barbara Streisand. “The Way We Were” (1973) Sydney Pollack. As a political activist, Streisand brings a charm and sensitivity to what could be a stereotypical character.

8.Ellen Burstyn. “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” (1974) Martin Scorsese. Though feminists at the time objected to the character’s compromises, you can’t deny the skill that Burstyn brought to the role.

11.Pillar Padilla. “Bread and Roses” (2001) Ken Loaches. A winning performance by newcomer Padilla who helps form a janitor union in Los Angeles.

12.Jodie Foster. “Silence of the Lambs” (1991) Jonathan Demme. Foster deservedly won an Oscar for her unforgettable work.

13.Frances McDormand. “Fargo” (1996) Joel and Ethan Coen. Her pregnant sheriff was not only the smartest person in the room, but she also knew where the best buffets were. Iconic and brilliant work by McDormand.

14.Anne Bancroft. “The Miracle Worker” (1962) Arthur Penn. Reprising her prize-winning work from Broadway, Bancroft brought a wit and a wisdom to the amazing real life character.

15.Taraji P. Henson. “Hidden Figures” (2016) Theodore Meifi. Henson is a stand-out in this ensemble film about African -American women in the early aerospace industry.

16.Susan Sarandon. “Thelma and Louise” ( 1991) Ridley Scott. The more complex figure of this famous duo, Sarandon brought a certain pain to this character that made the ending even more poignant.

17.Patricia Neal. “Hud” (1963) Martin Ritt. The humor that Neal brought to this salty character was a welcomed addition to this powerful film.

18.Diane Keaton. “Reds” (1981) Warren Beatty. Playing the real life journalist Louise Bryant, Keaton brought an intelligence to a character trying to find her place in a changing world.

19.Audrey Hepburn. “Wait Until Dark” (1967) Terence Young. This blind woman thankfully outwits a trio of really nasty criminals- the last great performance by this beguiling star.

20.Bette Davis. “All About Eve” (1950) Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Playing on both Margo’s strength and vulnerability. Davis gave a volcanic performance.

It’s not the time the actors have on the screen, but what they do with the time they have. Sometimes this is achieved by the sheer presence of the actor. Whatever the reasons, these brief moments do much to signify these films. So, with those thoughts, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Brief Performances”.

In no particular order…

John McGiver. “Midnight Cowboy” (1969) John Schlesinger. Playing a religious pervert, this icon from television both horrified and delighted many of us.

Perhaps these films were not widely circulated in their time, for lack of studio support, or, maybe the timing of their releases were questionable. And, several of these films have won awards and been listed on critics’ lists, but for some reason, if I mentioned their names to you, you might not know them. So, with those thoughts, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Films You Might Not Have Seen” .

In no particular order…

“The Sweet Hereafter” (1997) . Atom Egoyan. Based on the superb novel by Russell Banks, Egoyan never strikes a false note in depicting this tragedy that befalls a small town.

“Rachel Getting Married” (2008). Jonathan Demme. This highly unusual family drama takes a look at what we as humans will forgive.

“Dreamchild” (1985). Gavin Miller. Dennis Potter’s fantasia on the relationship between Lewis Carroll and the real Alice is both touching and imaginative, and one of my mother’s favorites.

“Spirits of the Beehive” (1985). Victor Erice. This masterpiece influenced many filmmakers, including Guillermo del Toro. The effects of Whale’s “Frankenstein” (1931) on two small children in Franco’s Spain is both intricate and subversive.

“Slaughterhouse Five (1972). George Roy Hill. This Universal release somehow captured perfectly the tone of Vonnegut’s melancholy and irony.

“Fury” (1936). Fritz Lang. Angry mob film shows the brilliance of Lang working within the studio system. One of his best American films.

The Twenty Greatest Film HeroesWhat makes a hero? A single act of bravery? Standing up for something while others remain seated?Or, is it the unlikely individual who rises to enormous heights in time of crisis? I don’t know…I do know that we need them. They bring a sense of purpose to our unsteady world. So, with those cheery thoughts, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Film Heroes”.

In no particular order…

1.Gregory Peck. “To Kill A Mockingbird”. 1962. This definitely was Peck’s tour de force, bringing an amazing sensitivity and intelligence to this wonderful character.

Do we dream in color? The experts say 80% of the time we do. The artists who worked in this medium not only enhanced the films they participated in but elevated the art form itself. So, with these lofty words, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Films in Color” (Cinematography).

Do we dream in color? Or in black and white? Orson Wells once said that black and white was the actor’s friend. I think he was right, especially when you look at how Ford turns Wayne’s image into something of mythic proportions with “Stagecoach” (1939), or how film noir uses shadows to suggest its characters’ state of mind. Whatever the aesthetic reasons, black and white films should be celebrated for the worlds that the artists create. So, with these thoughts in mind, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Cinematographers in Black and White Films”.

In no particular order…

1.”Stagecoach” (1939) Bert Glennon’s filming of Monument Valley helped turn the Western into an art form.

2.”Raging Bull” (1980) Michael Chapman’s glistening black and white cinematography contrasts with the ugliness of the main character.